BLS Projections Reveal 12 Jobs Facing Steepest Declines by 2035
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that 12 specific occupations will experience the largest percentage declines in employment between 2025 and 2035. Word processors and typists face the steepest drop at 34%, driven by machine learning automation. Other shrinking roles include telemarketers, order clerks, and mining roof bolters, with declines attributed to digital marketing shifts, 3D printing, and surface mining preferences. While overall US employment is expected to grow by 3.5%, the pace is slower than the previous decade, with healthcare and AI-related sectors absorbing most new roles.
Key points
- Word processors and typists are projected to see a 34% decline, the largest among all occupations, due to machine learning replacing traditional typing methods.
- Telemarketer roles are shrinking as companies shift to digital marketing and the FCC's Do Not Call registry expands.
- Foundry mold and coremakers face reduced demand due to the adoption of 3D printing technologies.
- Mining roof bolters are declining as the industry prefers surface mining over underground work.
- Most of the 12 declining jobs paid below the 2025 national median annual wage of $50,980.
- Overall US employment is projected to rise by 3.5% from 2025 to 2035, down from 10.9% growth in the prior decade.
Background
Recent labor data has shown mixed signals, with earlier reports in August 2026 highlighting soft jobs data complicating Federal Reserve inflation strategies. This long-term projection from the Bureau of Labor Statistics provides a decade-long outlook, contrasting with short-term monthly fluctuations. It follows broader discussions on how automation and demographic shifts, such as an aging population, are reshaping the workforce.
How outlets are covering it
Business Insider emphasizes the specific percentage declines of 12 jobs, highlighting that most are low-wage roles and noting the 34% drop for typists. CBS News focuses on the broader sectoral shifts, noting that while AI reduces administrative roles, it creates nearly 927,000 jobs in professional and technical services. CBS also highlights the contrast between the fastest-growing industry by percentage (utilities) and the largest job creator (healthcare). Axios and Yahoo Finance provided limited substantive content in the provided sources, with Axios appearing as a cookie consent page and Yahoo Finance displaying market data errors, offering no additional narrative perspective on the labor projections.
Why it matters
These projections signal a structural shift in the US labor market, where automation and AI are eliminating traditional administrative and manual roles while driving growth in healthcare and technical sectors. Workers in the 12 declining occupations may need to pivot to sectors like healthcare or AI-related services to maintain employment stability over the next decade.
What to watch
The Bureau of Labor Statistics will continue to monitor these trends, with the next major update expected in 2035. Policymakers and educators may adjust training programs to align with the growing demand in healthcare and AI-related fields, while workers in declining sectors may seek reskilling opportunities.
- 12 jobs that are set to shrink over the next decade Business Insider
- See which jobs are forecast to grow fastest — and slowest — over the next decade CBS News
- Here are the top-growing jobs in the country Axios
- 10 fastest-growing jobs over the next decade, Labor Department says NewsNation
- 12 jobs that are set to boom over the next decade Yahoo Finance
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